This Presidential Election - Character is Destiny

News Peg

With the Democratic caucuses underway, the presidential race is closer than one thinks.

After a surprising Mayor Pete victory in Iowa, Senator Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire.

With Andrew Yang dropping out of the race and former Vice President Joe Biden struggling to keep his lead, the Democratic nomination is still up in the air for grabs.

But it is clear to them all - the real battle is against President Donald Trump.

Why President’s Day Matters

It’s important to recognize that President’’s Day isn’t a random date chosen to celebrate the nation’s presidency.

The mid-February date honors two of the most respected presidents in American history - George Washington, born February 22, 1732, and Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809.

These two presidents don’t merely represent two different eras in American history, or symbolize leadership during two different wars, or embody two faces on Mount Rushmore. These two presidents are embedded in American history for a specific reason: their characters.

President’s Day is not valued merely because Americans honor the presidential position and seat, but also to bow down to the leadership and characters of Lincoln and Washington.

While Washington was known for his ability to lead silently and modestly, Lincoln was respected for his honesty and empathy. According to the Washington Chronicle, both were respected for their “sound judgement.”

Why Character Matters

In a time when political ideologies and social classes divide the nation, it’s the leader and his or her values that really speak through to the masses.

The values that a leader holds and believes in truly matter to the citizens of that nation.

An ancient Sanskrit proverb says it the best - “As the region, so the people, as the land, so the water, as the king, so the people.”

The leader’s influence doesn’t carry forth merely through his or her political and social beliefs, but also through his or her value and moral systems - their character.

In a society where immediate self-interest is valued more than ever, as citizens we may have started to look at our leaders at a monetary value. How can they help me? How can they help the economy? What does their resume tell us about them?

While truly understanding one’s character requires time and a microscopic view of his or her life, it cannot be denied that the character truly matters. We commemorate characters like Lincoln for that very reason. Not only was he a leader during the Civil War, but he was known to be a man of the people.

Gurdon Hubbard, a close friend of Lincoln, said, ““I never had a friend to whom I was more warmly attached. His character was almost faultless. Possessing a warm and generous heart, genial, affable, honest, courteous to his opponents, persevering, industrious in research, never losing sight of the principal point under discussion.”

If we believe that our country is divided ideologically and politically, then it is important to notice that the nation was literally divided during the presidential tenure of Abraham Lincoln.

During the Civil War, the United States was facing one of the biggest hurdles it had ever faced. And at such a time, what was being tested? The values of the nation. The character buildup of the democracy.

It wasn’t merely a war to fight against slavery or against a seceded conglomerate of states.

It was a fight for the nation’s belief system and moral code. And thus, it required a leader who stood by and lived by a pure, selfless character in Lincoln.

In a time today when we may believe the nation faces a more metaphorical division, it is important to note yet again - that the character of our leader is being tested.